Smith Kids Play Space in the Park

The weather was so spectacular this weekend that we opted to go to a new venue in Philly rather than be indoors at Please Touch. So after we tried getting a family shot at the church where my husband and I were married, we had lunch at the Cassidys and then we drove down my favorite, Kelly Drive through Fairmoount Park to get to SMITH. We've driven past this place a million times when we lived in Philly, but the Cassidys let us know that they had just renovated and reopened the outdoor play space. The grounds are marked with an amazingly huge mansion that also has an indoor play area. That too is being renovated. SMITH was started by Sarah and Richard Smith in the 1890s when the health and welfare of urban children become a big priority. Supervised play was encouraged and so SMITH built this amazing area for kids to play in Philadelphia. There is an indoor play space within the Smith mansion and it is 24,000 square feet! We didn't go in, but it's supposed to be great. I think they are renovating the inside and updating quite a bit, but it's good now for a rainy day, and I am sure it will be spectacular when they are finished updating. Here is a link that gives a virtual tour. http://www.youtube.com/user/SmithKidsPlayPlace The outdoor play area is newly renovated and is incredible! It is the size of six football fields and has equipment and play areas for kids of all ages! The site says it has over 50 piece of state of the art equipment, and I'd completely agree. My son's favorite was the renovated wooden slide. Per the SMITH Web site--"The Giant Wooden Slide was added to the Playground in 1905. In 2005 through a generous gift from Ida Newman, who used to play at SMITH in the 1920s, the Slide was restored and dedicated in memory of her daughter Ann Newman. The one-of-a –kind Ann Newman Giant Wooden Slide is 39’ long and 13’ wide." The slide looks like a large sloped wooden floor and when you get on that burlap sack, you really fly! There is also a little tots play area with equipment perfect for the smallest of our babes to age 5 and then the rest of the amazing playground goes up to ages 10 and is packed with the best equipment and play structures I've ever seen. We packed it in and headed home after our visit to Smith and said farewell to our friends, but we immediately started planning our next trip to come back and check out the other hidden treasures in the playhouse. What a fabulous place and we love that the people of the community started it and have maintained this wondeful play space. You must visit and support this place too! Days and Hours of Operation Playground (for children 10 and under)

• Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm (April – October)


• 10am – 7pm (Saturdays and Sundays ONLY; last weekend of June – last weekend of August)


• Playhouse (for children 5 and under) Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm (year round)

How to Get to SMITH SMITH is located in East Fairmount Park just above Kelly Drive near 33rd and Oxford Streets. For printable directions, please click here. There is plenty of FREE parking on site and SMITH is also easily accessible by public transportation. From Center City Philadelphia: •Take Kelly Drive away from Center City •Turn right at the equestrian statue of General Grant (Fountain Green Drive) •Take first right onto Mt. Pleasant Drive •Turn right at stop sign onto Reservoir Drive •Bear right into Smith’s circular drive From 76 (Schuylkill) East or West •Take the Girard Avenue/Zoo exit •Cross over the Girard Avenue Bridge •Turn left at the end of the Bridge onto 33rd Street •Proceed to the next traffic light and make a left (33rd and Oxford) •Drive 1/3 mile and turn left into Smith’s circular drive Public Transportation Take SEPTA bus #32 to 33rd and Oxford. Walk 1/3 mile into Fairmount Park. Smith will be on your left. OR Take #3 bus to 33rd & Cecil B. Moore walk one block south to 33rd & Oxford St. Walk 1/3 mile into Fairmount Park. Smith will be on your left. Please note that GPS or any Internet direction sites will not provide accurate directions to Smith.